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O.K, Kids, What Mods Can Be Done To Improve ‘19 Fox 36?

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,580
1,074
La Verne
Most lower assembly bushing installs are tooled for concentricity. But...to a nominally perfect hub length.

The overshadowing issue with parallelism is the axle layout on most forks. The layout on the new 38 solves that, and it is very noticeable.

You are correct though - there is little point in performing a ream if the whole system is out of parallel.
Moar shims, or Moar Turnz on lathez
 

ebarker9

Monkey
Oct 2, 2007
848
242
Saw that some folks (on mtbr, mind you) were making some pretty simple tooling to remove a bit of material to bring the dropout spacing correct to their particular hub. Or, for an undersized hub, moar shimz.
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,019
1,154
El Lay
Another bit of fork voodoo is to flip your bike upside down for a few minutes to let the lowers oil soak the seals.

(Not suggested if you're running Shimano brakes.)
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,312
5,062
Ottawa, Canada
Another bit of fork voodoo is to flip your bike upside down for a few minutes to let the lowers oil soak the seals.

(Not suggested if you're running Shimano brakes.)
I was going to post this. Darren Murphy said it's what he does before every ride, while he gets ready at the trail head.

The part about Shimano brakes is very funny, because it's a reflex I'm having a hard time shaking. Since going Magura, I've had no issues doing this, but I worry about ruining my brakes each time I do!
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
Nothing if they're bled properly.
Yeah, I don't want to defend Shimano brakes too much, because the consistency issues are real and bad, but I don't think hanging bikes or flipping them upside down for a bit is really relevant to that if they're bled right..
 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
16,670
13,010
Cackalacka du Nord
oh, it's real. as much as i'll defend my old xt's, if you flipped the bike you'd have to be sure you pumped the lever a bunch to get pressure. i had many a shit-my-pants moment as trees rapidly approached at the very beginning of a ride after forgetting . . .
 

FarkinRyan

Monkey
Dec 15, 2003
611
192
Pemberton, BC
Also, when it feels like it's getting close to time for a lowers service but I'm feeling lazy I use this stuff -

The WPL ForkBoost 100% does what it says on the tin and I use it frequently. The amount of dust it can pull out of a set of wipers after a dusty ride is eye opening.
 

FarkinRyan

Monkey
Dec 15, 2003
611
192
Pemberton, BC
This is what Vorsprung uses in-house, correct?Do you use their chain lube too? Any thoughts?
I don't work there any more, but we certainly did use it. I also used to use their chain lube but stopped being a fan when they changed the formula a few years back and made it lighter. I'm using Squirt chain lube and would highly recommend giving it a shot if you're in need of a fresh bottle of something, it made a noticeable improvement to my drivetrain, really impressed with it.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,385
19,400
Canaderp
I don't work there any more, but we certainly did use it. I also used to use their chain lube but stopped being a fan when they changed the formula a few years back and made it lighter. I'm using Squirt chain lube and would highly recommend giving it a shot if you're in need of a fresh bottle of something, it made a noticeable improvement to my drivetrain, really impressed with it.
But they have an ebike chain lube... wouldn't you want the benefits they mention in the normal chain lube? :confused:
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,065
1,302
Styria
I don't work there any more, but we certainly did use it. I also used to use their chain lube but stopped being a fan when they changed the formula a few years back and made it lighter. I'm using Squirt chain lube and would highly recommend giving it a shot if you're in need of a fresh bottle of something, it made a noticeable improvement to my drivetrain, really impressed with it.
Fully ack. Been using it since this summer and will not go back.
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,580
1,074
La Verne
Back to forks.

Slow guy in my extended group of riding buddies (used to weigh 270lbs down to 200) was having a bad time on his ibis hd4. Complaining the last 10 rides that its horrible down hill compared to his nomad 3 that was stolen.

I traded bikes with him for a segment.
Fox 36 performance and a dpx2

Fork wasn't getting half travel.
Was expecting to find 100000 volume spacers or some binding from hub width.

Shock felt like it had tons of comp damping in open mode.

I told him to order a used rc2 to replace his garbage 1, I mean grip 1. And a luftkappe

Luftkappe hasn't shown up yet but we changed the oil in the rc2 installed it and did an air side service. Its amazing what fresh seals and slickoleum does to the air side... I thought the thing was packed full of volume spacers but no.

Anyways totally different fork now....
Still gotta put the luftkappe in tho.

Then the shock man..
Ibis gives a table for 25% sag and reccomended 240lbs...
Then says 30 for gravity riders, he had gone with the 240
210 to get 30% sag and make it feel like a normal bike. Wtf is ibis smoming....
I dont know....
 

Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,913
1,268
SWE
Question about the Fox Grip damper (not the Grip2) can it be modified/improved?

I got a Fox 34 performance on the cheap for my Turner and I find the damper to be really crap... it is either no support or a kind of platform that blows off and leaves no support when it does. Not great!

There is a Grip2 cartridge upgrade that costs almost twice what I paid for the fork. I don't want to go that route.

I checked the video from Vorsprung
, Steve hints at some potential improvements but nothing they offer at the moment.
Do you know a tuner doing mods on a 34?
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,580
1,074
La Verne
Question about the Fox Grip damper (not the Grip2) can it be modified/improved?

I got a Fox 34 performance on the cheap for my Turner and I find the damper to be really crap... it is either no support or a kind of platform that blows off and leaves no support when it does. Not great!

There is a Grip2 cartridge upgrade that costs almost twice what I paid for the fork. I don't want to go that route.

I checked the video from Vorsprung
, Steve hints at some potential improvements but nothing they offer at the moment.
Do you know a tuner doing mods on a 34?
Well,
The problems with a grip 1 are as follows
1 In order to make the lockout work there is no low speed bleed.
2 it uses a preloaded degressive piston.

1 can be overcome by grinding a notch on the face shim, filing a slot on the piston sealing surface, or drilling the fixing bolt, or you can buy a 2018-2020 grip 2 base valve and get the same thing except with an adjustable LSC

2, on the grip 1 or the 18-20 grip 2 if your running the hsc adjuster more closed you can use 1 moar face shimz and less adjuster in a bid to create more linear damping rather than degressive.

3, check if if the midvalve has 2 or 3 shims, for 2021 the middle shim has been removed, I tried this I'm 2019 or so and didn't actually notice much but it can't hurt.

4 you can buy the grip 2 vvc base valve, but at the same time buy the valve assembly to get moar shimz. They are way too soft and need moar shimz right away. Good news with this route is that you get a linear piston and high speed adjuster.

I would recommend 4.
Basically gets you a grip 2 vvc, without the (externally) adjustable hsr. For 1/3rd the price.
 
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Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,913
1,268
SWE
Great @englertracing ! Thanks for your detailed answer. I will check for parts number and availability.

My fork is a 2019 my with 4 shims on the compression side. I opened it today just to check that everything was in place.
Screenshot_20210802-181151_Gallery.jpg
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,705
5,581
A local seller had Mezzers for $1000AU, so glad I bought it instead of trying to polish a turd.
I still can't believe how bad the cheap Grip damper was.
 

Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,913
1,268
SWE
A local seller had Mezzers for $1000AU, so glad I bought it instead of trying to polish a turd.
I still can't believe how bad the cheap Grip damper was.
I am with you on that one, in theory! Buying a Manitou R7 from start would have been the wise option. But I was cheap and got a Revelation and then I couldn't resist and bought a discounted Fox 34...

Well well, I still have fun trying to fix them
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,580
1,074
La Verne
A local seller had Mezzers for $1000AU, so glad I bought it instead of trying to polish a turd.
I still can't believe how bad the cheap Grip damper was.
the funny thing is that the grip 2 is fundamentally the same unit except with the VVC altering shim stack stiffness on the Rebound stack, and a needle low speed adjuster bypassing the base valve. The 21 grip 2 vvc is a little different in the Base valve
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
the funny thing is that the grip 2 is fundamentally the same unit except with the VVC altering shim stack stiffness on the Rebound stack, and a needle low speed adjuster bypassing the base valve. The 21 grip 2 vvc is a little different in the Base valve
I'm amazed at your knowledge of mtb suspension...I know alot about suspension but your alot better versed on details....you and a couple others on here are badass....
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,306
861
coloRADo
I remember asking Jordi on some PB "ask Jordi anything" type thing: What would you say to riders who complained their fork was too harsh or spiked?

His answer was to have those riders hit the gym.

:D

I mean, I don't disagree. I def need to hit the gym....But I kinda also disagree. LOL
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,705
5,581
the funny thing is that the grip 2 is fundamentally the same unit except with the VVC altering shim stack stiffness on the Rebound stack, and a needle low speed adjuster bypassing the base valve. The 21 grip 2 vvc is a little different in the Base valve
Why is the Grip 2 so damned expensive to buy? It's double the price of the cheap Grip damper.
I think I had mine apart three times on two weeks trying to work out what was wrong with it, my Durolux had prperly flogged bushings, was starting to rub through the anodizing a leaky damper and but I still ran it over the Foxzocchi.
Probably the most disappointing fork purchase since my Judy XL.
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,580
1,074
La Verne
Why is the Grip 2 so damned expensive to buy? It's double the price of the cheap Grip damper.
I think I had mine apart three times on two weeks trying to work out what was wrong with it, my Durolux had prperly flogged bushings, was starting to rub through the anodizing a leaky damper and but I still ran it over the Foxzocchi.
Probably the most disappointing fork purchase since my Judy XL.

Cost Because Flagship?
adjuster shaft inside adjuster shaft on rebound? I can see that being annoying to produce
the non vvc grip 2 base valve is barley more complex.

I was not into the fit 4, bought the latest and greatest grip 2 (pre vvc) and was underwhelmed and went back to an RC2 for the last year, I just put a grip 2 vvc base valve in my grip 2 and put it back into my fork, and im currently experimenting with MOAR SHIMZ and MOAR LEAFZ

What problems were you having specifically?
Id be looking into problems with hub width, bushings, and airspring issues.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,011
1,704
Northern California
I had a few rides on an '18 36 Grip (1) that came on a new bike a few years ago. I wasn't blown away by it, but it wasn't holding me back in chunky terrain. I tend to run a stiffer spring rate up front though, so not super reliant on the damper for support.